2015 Precision Agriculture Conference: Breakout Session Series: Part III

Feb 27, 2015

Soil mapping and making zones

More than 20 speakers from different walks of agricultural life participated in over 20 breakout sessions during the 2015 Precision Agriculture Conference.

Presenters included from J.P. Gervais and Aron Gampel from Farm Credit Canada and Scotiabank respectively, speaking about possible economic trends, and Barry Raymer of Practical Precision spoke about the GreenSeeker product.

Part III of the Breakout Session Series will focus on the presentation about soil mapping and making zones put on by Dr. Mike Duncan, NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Precision Agriculture & Environmental Technologies for Niagara College and Doug Aspinall along with Nicole Rabe, representing OMAFRA.

They talked extensively about how farmers can break their fields up into zones using all kinds of characteristics.

Farmers can divide their fields into zones based on yield, landscape, soil and others.

By landscape zones, farmers can divide their land up based on whether the shape of the land is a bowl or a dome.

This helps farmers decide what to plant and where because if the land is dome shaped, the water will run off the top down compared to a bowl shape where the water will flow towards the middle.

Another zone management technique they discussed focused on maps about soil types and soil properties.

Farmers can make zones based on the kinds of soil on the ground like Guelph loam, Brookston clay, etc.

They can now get more in depth by determining the properties of the soil. By determining what percentage is organic matter and other factors, they’ll be able to get their soil up to optimum levels for planting.

Stay tuned for more breakout session coverage from the 2015 Precision Agriculture Conference. If you attended this particular session, how will it help your operation?

Be sure to check out parts one and two of the Breakout Session Series.

Video: Winter Service Inspections for John Deere Equipment - The FarmCast Ep64

The FarmCast, host Troy Randall speaks with Doug Luedke, Vice President of Service, and Davin Peterson, Executive Vice President of Aftermarket at 21st Century Equipment, to discuss the importance of proactive service and how it helps farmers reduce downtime during their busiest seasons. The conversation focuses on the Winter Service Inspection Program, a comprehensive approach designed to keep equipment running at peak performance and limit costly in-season breakdowns through preventative maintenance and expert technician support.

Doug and Devin explain how 21st Century Equipment’s service teams have evolved to meet the needs of today’s connected machines. With more technology and data integrated into modern equipment, technicians now play a vital role in both mechanical repairs and precision ag support. Through advanced diagnostics, machine monitoring, and John Deere’s Expert Alerts, they can identify and address potential issues before they become major problems—saving customers valuable time, money, and frustration.

Throughout the discussion, the team shares real-world success stories demonstrating how proactive inspections and customer-focused service help maximize uptime and efficiency for every operation. Whether it’s a large tractor, combine, or small mower, the goal remains the same: to provide trusted, reliable support that helps farmers and landowners stay productive and confident in their equipment year-round.